Dr. Dorothy I. Height | ZOOM |

        This weekend's 13th annual Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion Celebration at Sawyer Point will come full circle when it honors Dr. Dorothy I. Height.

        The president emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women organized the first such event 15 years ago in Washington, D.C.

        The 89-year-old native Virginian decided to begin the now-annual national celebration to counter what she saw as negative perceptions of the African-American community. In a recent telephone interview, Dr. Height talked to The Enquirer about how the celebration began and why it is especially important in the wake of racial unrest in Cincinnati.

        “I saw a CBS documentary in 1986 called The Vanishing Black Family,” she says. “It was more focused on teen pregnancies, and I thought it cast a negative look on the black community. I decided the best thing to do was to use Dr. (Martin Luther) King's idea of people doing action on their own behalf.

HEIGHT FILE

• Born 1912 in Richmond, Va.   • Earned degrees in educational psychology from New York University and advanced studies at Columbia University.   • Personally recruited in 1937 to work for the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) by founder and activist Mary McLeod Bethune.   • President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority 1947-1956.   • President, NCNW 1957-1998; chair and president emeritus1998-present.   • Received more than 24 honorary degrees, Presidential Medal of Freedom Award (1994), Myrtle Wreath of Achievement by Hadassah (1964), Citizens Medal Award from President Ronald Reagan (1989) and more than 50 other awards and honors.

        “I wanted to bring together people of all backgrounds, all makeups, to celebrate the history of a people with an incredible strength of coping skills. One of the purposes of the event is to show the valued tradition of black families; lifting up the value of friendship, hard work, the importance of education. I just felt unless we did something positive, the negative would continue to spread.”

        The first reunion in Washington drew more than 250,000 people. High numbers of attendees continue to return to celebrations there and here in Cincinnati, where last year an estimated 200,000 attended the various events. From the opening breakfast at 8 a.m. Friday at the Millennium Hotel (formerly the Regal) honoring Dr. Height, to the last praise shouted at Sunday evening's Gospelfest at Sawyer Point, there will be opportunities for education, entertainment and celebration of family.

        “When we first started the reunions,” Dr. Height says, “people wondered how it could happen, if it would be successful. The nice thing about Cincinnati's reunion is that it has drawn people from all over the area. Families come and hold their reunions here at the same time. Another good thing about the celebration is the strength it has to bring people together from all walks of life, all backgrounds.”

        “It's very exciting to me to have people come up to me and say "When are we having it this year?' (They) want to organize around something good. Many people get connections for jobs, they get vital health screenings and have lots of opportunities to learn something new. Volunteers give of their talents. Corporations are very willing to support events like this, to support family values. It's a very rich experience.”

        Dr. Height says this year's reunion is important — especially this year in Cincinnati.

        “It's very important for communities to come together. There are so many problems in communities everywhere. This is a celebration of the African-American community, but we are aware of the supportive people who will all gather to make it happen” and make this event as successful as past reunions.

        “I want to see people coming together, getting to know one another, learn new technology, help better understand what to do with and for our children, our families and our communities.”

        Even after ending her 40-year tenure as president of the National Council of Negro Women, Dr. Height shows no signs of resting on her laurels.

        “As long as I can be useful, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.”

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